5 Year Old Beauty
by XBreathxLessX
Summary: "Are you a Beast?" Erik shut his eyes tightly, immediately shooting up. In a second, her hand grabbed his and he waited for the hitting to start. "Can I be your Beauty?" Young-Erik fluff-shot. Slightly Kay-based


**Boscherville, Rouen 1842:**

A young child stared back up the building, her nose scrunching up from the smell of liquor and smoke. A few men were passed out around the place as her eyes glanced at them indifferently. It was after all the same scene, regardless if it was bright as day or dark as night. She just never understood why they would stay out here despite the weather conditions. As if to help further her thoughts, a blast of cold wind caused a shiver to run down her spine, making the young girl hold her tattered coat tighter against her body.

"Nicolette why are you outside?" A soft voice questioned concerned. The black haired girl stared up at the beautiful blond woman in front of her, forgetting for a moment about the strange men who liked to sleep outside. Ringlets of gold fell from her shoulders as the woman grabbed Nicolette's hand. Her worried blue eyes stared down into the odd colored violet of Nicolette's.

"Aria why are they sleeping on the floor? It's cold out here." Nicolette asked curiously in an innocent voice that only a child who has yet to understand the world could whilst pointing at the men. This was a question she asked each time whenever the girls from the house would come looking for her. No one ever did tell her the truth. She always wondered why they were scared when they knew she was either out here playing by herself or by the river bank.

"They're...um...guards, yes guards, to protect us from the evil trolls!" Aria replied after finding a viable excuse to tell the young five year old. A confused smile appeared on Nicolette's face as she tore her eyes away from Aria and towards the sleeping men. They needed better guards if that was the case.

"Well they're doing a bad job. Mama doesn't like bad things. Are they going to be punished? Mama always punishes me when I do bad things."

"Come let us go in. Your maman will be worried about you." Aria tugged softly at Nicolette's hand making sure to dodge the passed out drunks. A sigh escaped her lips as her eyes stayed glued to the little girl next to her. She was too innocent and pure to be in this awful place. Especially with the way her mother treated her. She pitied the day when Nicolette will be old enough to take part in the business that her mother runs.

Nicolette held onto Aria's hand tightly humming a soft haunting tune. A smile stayed on her lips as she waved to Phillipe, who worked for her mother as well. He waved back greeting both her and Aria. She skipped up the stairs, still not letting go of Aria's hands, watching with the same amazement that she always had when men started to leave some of the girl's rooms. Suddenly, Aria's words rang through her head and she became scared. Quickly she tugged on to Aria's hand making the older woman stop.

"Are there trolls in their rooms? Is there one in mine?" She asked fearfully staring up in blue eyes. "Aria I need a guard!" Aria's jaw dropped for a moment before she coughed and regained her composure.

"Trolls?" A nasally voice sneered. Aria looked away from Nicolette just in time to see one of the brothel's main money-bringer come out of her room right after a man did. Nicolette shied away from the fiery red-headed woman, choosing to hide behind Aria's skirts.

"I assure you Nicolette," Aria began pushing past Bridgette knowing that the woman had a tendency to be cruel to the little one. "The only troll here is something we like to call a _Bridgette_."

Nicolette busted into a small fit of giggles, knowing better than to turn to see the dragon lady's reaction, no, the _troll's_ reaction. She had always scared her, always hitting her if she didn't get some of the chores right, just like maman did when Nicolette had made her angry or disappointed.

The two walked together, sometimes saying good morning to the other girls that had managed to get up early. It was after all time for lunch for most, but to the ladies of the house would be breakfast. The bar downstairs was already being attended to even though most of the customers didn't come until nightfall.

Before she knew it, Nicolette was left in front of her room, with Aria telling her she had to go and run errands for maman. She only smiled at her wondering what it would be like if Aria was her mother instead. She was, after all, the only one who wouldn't get mad at her or hit her for making a mistake. After saying goodbye, she went into her room, quietly shutting the door knowing full well what would happen if she made any type of loud noise. Softly she went to her cot picking up her stuffed doggy, hugging him tightly to her chest. Slowly but surely, the bright smile began to dim from her mouth before completely disappearing.

"Snuffles they made fun of me again today. What does "whore" even mean? Aria told me it's a bad word, so why do they call all my sisters whores?" She whispered quietly letting the tears fall down her face. She had no friends other than Snuffles. The older kids made fun of her calling her and her family mean names. The older parents didn't even let the kids around her age to play with her.

She wiped away her tears, trying hard not to let out a sob. Maman hated tears. If she cried maman will hit her again. She turned her head to look at the small cross that was nailed poorly into the wall.

"Mister Angel, am I bad child? Nobody wants to play with me. Will you bring me a friend? I promise not to be mean to them! I just want someone that'll play with me."

A small smile appeared on Nicolette's face, one that never reached her eyes. She turned away from the cross hugging Snuffles closer to her for comfort. A little away from her was her favorite book, even though she really couldn't read that well, she had made Aria tell her the story so many times she knew it by heart; a tale of a beauty and a beast.

XxXxX

In another part of the slums, a little boy curled up into a ball trying hard not to make himself noticeable. His birthday had passed weeks ago and he still hurt from the beating he had taken from his mother. All he wanted was a simple kiss once again, but now he understood why he had never received one after being shown what he had truly looked like on that day. As his mother said, who would want to kiss, let alone look at, that monster he was.

Tears slipped down his face, ones he didn't bother to wipe away. He stared at the cloth mask absently rubbing his hands that seemed like they were still recovering from the sharp pieces of glass from two years ago.

"Hello Erik."

He knew that voice. It was the only kind voice he had ever heard. It wasn't one that was slurred or filled with venom and hatred.

"Your mother is sleeping right now." Maria said softly pitying the poor boy. Even if he did have such a deformed face, it doesn't give his mother a right to do this to him; locking him away from the world, abusing him, forcing him to hide his face. A mother was supposed to love her child not hate them.

Erik turned his face away from her, purposely not showing his right side. The tears didn't stop then. She had shown him the monster that he was. His beloved Sasha was gone. Maria was kind to him, but never enough that would make her love him.

A sigh escaped Maria's mouth, her pity growing once more. He needed to get out of here. He needed to at least be out in the sun. Finding a friend would be too much to ask for, but he should at least be out of the house sometimes. But there was hardly a place that she could take him without him being seen. Madeline would have her neck if she knew what she was planning to do, let alone let others see him. But she couldn't stand this any longer and she already had the perfect place in her mind to take him.

"Erik would you like to go outside?"

XxXxX

Nicolette walked out of the brothel house making sure none of her sisters had seen her leave. There was nothing for her to do. Maman was being kind to her and letting her have the day off. Though she knew it was because one of the barmaids had wanted to earn some more money.

"Hey look it's the freak!" Someone yelled. Nicolette's head snapped up looking around terrified. Why were they near here of all places?

"Charles don't be rude and apologize to her!" A voice scolded. A protest escaped his mouth as Nicolette inched slowly away. Charles was one of the main people that had made fun of her. His mother was no better because Anna had said that she covered it up by acting proper. She was lying and lying wasn't a good thing to do at all.

Charles groaned and pouted. Why should he apologize for something that was the truth? Nicolette was really strange always humming that scary tune. Besides, she lived in that place that weird men kept coming out. He always heard his mother talking about the women that lived there too, and it wasn't good at all! Of course Nicolette was the same or at least would be when she grew older. Not only that, but her eyes were a weird color. No one normal had purple eyes.

Nicolette didn't bother waiting for the apology that would never happen. Instead she gave a curt nod to the older woman before quickly walking away. She kept her eyes trained to the ground hating the silence that always consumed her when she walked this past. Once again she began to hum the soft haunting melody that she had heard long ago.

Tears sprang up in her eyes when she thought of where she had heard the melody. Kayley was her older sister. She was the one who would tell her stories and sing to her. She sang her a wordless melody to her the night she left. She ran away with a stable boy a year ago after he had came by everyday just to see Kayley. Humming the melody was the only thing that kept her close to Nicolette. If she forgot it, then she would lose Kayley forever.

The sound of soft rushing water reached her ears. She looked up and began to run. In no time she had reached the side of the river. A grin was brought onto her lips, the melody disappearing from her mind. Slowly, Nicolette came to a stop taking in short gasps of breath. Coming down to a walk, her eyes never strayed from the river as her legs walked mechanically to a tree nearby. However to Nicolette's surprise there was a boy sitting there with an older woman. Her feet stopped watching as the woman stood up and said something to the little boy before walking off.

Curiosity got the best of Nicolette and she soon found herself staring at the boy with masked cloth over his face. Blue-green eyes met her purple ones and immediately she could see the sadness laced in them.

XxXxX

Maria had left just a minute ago, telling Erik that she would come back soon. Fear gripped him with the thought that she would never return. She had left him by the tree, all too eager to leave him, though it was soon replaced with a new found fear as he stared up into curious violet orbs.

A girl, no younger than five stood in front of him, she had long ebony hair that was pulled back into a sideways braid. A small circular birthmark was on her right cheek and her eyes were an oddly colored violet.

Immediately, Erik shrunk back from the curious gaze ready to run if he needed too. Much to his surprise, the girl plopped down next to him and grinned..at _him_. Distinctly he noticed the small gap between her two front teeth, along with the few missing teeth. It took him a few moments to realize that this girl was actually looking at him.

"Hi!" She chirped brightly. Erik's eyes widened. Was she talking to him? "I'm Nicolette. What's your name?"

"E-E-Erik." He stuttered out still astonished at the fact that she was talking to him. The astonishment quickly disappeared when he realized that she had not seen what had laid beneath his mask. She would either run away screaming in fear or hit him.

"Did the Angel send you?" She asked staring at him. His eyes widened even more if that was possible. Here she was asking him if an angel sent him, while his mother had always said it was the devil who had done it. Could it possibly be that he would actually have a friend? No of course not, he was a monster. No one would want to be friends with a monster.

Nicolette smiled at him watching as how her new friend (well she hoped so) stared at her confused. Silently she thanked the Angel she had asked earlier for a new friend. Even if he did wear that funny mask, she didn't care. She finally had a friend that was around her age and like she had promised, she wouldn't even dare think of being mean to Erik.

Despite the elated feeling that Erik had, he felt a bit awkward as he and Nicolette stared out at each other. Never before, other than Sasha or Maria, did someone willingly sit by him. Thankfully Nicolette had broken the silence, "Why do you wear that?"

His heart sunk at her question. If she knew or saw what was behind the mask she wouldn't sit by him. She would run away screaming or hit him. Was it bad of him to hide his face from her?

Nicolette frowned sensing she had somehow made the boy uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry Erik." She said softly to him. "I was being nosy. Being nosy is a bad thing." She tensed for a moment as if waiting for the lashings to take place. She knew better than to question, but she let her excitement get the best of her. His eyes widened.

"I-It's okay!" He stuttered out surprised that she had apologized to him. He was the one that didn't answer her question!

"Great! We're still friends!"

"_Friends?_"

"Of course! And since we're friends, no secrets between us 'kay."

His mind was still reeling over the fact that he had finally had a friend. _Friend_. The word was so foreign to him. The only friend he had was Sasha, but she was a dog. And yet here Nicolette was telling him she they were friends. After the shock wore off, he realized that words she had said afterwards. His heart sunk, and he looked away from her. Could his face be considered a secret? Then would that mean they wouldn't be friends.

"I like to sew! Mama says that sewing is a very good thing to learn." She beamed at him. He looked away from her happy purple eyes. His mother only hit him and screamed at him. He couldn't help but feel jealousy tug at him. She had a mother that loved her.

"I always clean at home because it makes her happy." Her voice became softer. He never did anything that could make his own mother happy. Even wearing his mask didn't make her smile at him at least once.

Nicolette brought her knees up to her chest, giving Erik a sideways glance. He didn't really talk much but that could be because he's shy. A smile fell onto her face. He was her friend. Her _only _friend. This time not even her mother could take him away from her or the other mothers. Hopefully his mother doesn't know who her mother was. She couldn't lose him. The Angel had sent him to her. She couldn't scare him away.

"Erik, thanks for being my friend." A heartfelt smile was thrown his way and involuntarily Erik smiled back at her. All feelings of jealousy disappeared as he marveled at the fact that she was _willingly _smiling at _him_. Even if he did wear the mask, she smiled at _him_, the _monster_.

"A-A...I...You-You..." He was at a lost for words trying to piece his jumbled thoughts together.

She couldn't help but giggle slightly as he stumbled for words. He stared at her and for just a second emerald clashed with violet. Her smile grew just a bit. Yes this was her new friend. Someone she can finally be with without being called mean things. Once again, she thanked the Angel she had prayed to.

Erik stopped trying to piece the words together and settled for a simple nod. He smiled back at her and turned back to the riverbank.

"You have pretty eyes." Nicolette commented softly seeing Erik snap his head back to look at her. His eyes held surprise and happiness in them. "At least they're normal unlike mine."

"You-Your eyes ar-are pretty too!" He stumbled quickly after seeing his friend's (Friend. A word he could happily think of and say now!), face fall at her odd colored eyes. Yes he'll admit that her eyes were a bit weird but who was he to judge when he had the face that a mother could never love.

The smile that was sent his way became painful and he looked away immediately. Trembling slightly he grasped the clothed mask that he wore. What if he showed her his face? Would she be so willingly smile at him again? Would she still call him 'friend'? No she would run away screaming or hit him. Worse yet, she might tell others and then they would ask his mother. Would his mother finally kill him because he disobeyed her? If she didn't then maybe losing his friend would. Sasha was his only friend that loved him. She didn't judge him for his appearance. But finally, _finally _here was someone _willingly_ being his friend. She didn't pity him like Maria did. She genuinely smiled at him, told him he was her friend. Can his face get in the way of that? He didn't want to lose his only chance at friendship. But one day she would have to see his face. She would run away from him in fear.

_What if she didn't?_

No, no one would love him. His face was too hideous, too _terrifying _for someone to love him fully.

_She could._

While Erik debated about showing his face, Nicolette became a bit worried. Did she say something wrong to him? She noted that his hand gripped the mask he wore and she became a bit scared. Could it be what she had asked earlier? Was he mad at her for asking? He said it was okay, but then again that was what maman said when she had asked why men had came out of her sister's room before hitting her.

Nicolette bit the inside of her cheek feeling horrible. She had already made her friend mad at her. What kind of friend does that make her out to be?

"Erik?" She asked fearfully instantly grabbing his shoulder.

In three seconds Erik's life had changed. The outcome wasn't what he had expected and when he grew up, this day was one he would always remember.

One second. Erik flinched automatically preparing himself for the multiple hits that would come.

Two seconds. The hand that had gripped his mask pulled it downwards from the reaction towards her touch.

Three seconds. A sharp strangled gasp met his ears and he became painfully aware of the breeze that kissed his skin. _His face._

For one moment, Nicolette couldn't believe what she saw. Even though she was just five, she knew someone shouldn't wear a mask. She _knew _a face shouldn't look like _his_. If she was not seeing this face before her very eyes, she would have thought it to be a dream or a nightmare. His face was normal...well at least his left side was, but it was the right side that made her want to scream out in bloody horror. The skin was a sickly yellow, mottled with oddly shaped lumps in some places. There were almost scaly patches and areas so thin, she knew if she stared hard enough she could see what was underneath. The sickly bluecolored veins underneath were visible and the skin on top of it appeared like it would break any minute. His cheek was twisted and distorted. It was completely hideous and terrifying.

_"I promise I won't be mean to him."_

Yes she remembered those words clearly. But...but this was not what she had expected. Was the Angel testing her? Was the Angel trying to see if she truly meant those words she had prayed? She ripped her eyes from his face, noticing his eyes. They were so sad and broken. She made him sad. Does this make her a horrible person? The more she realized how sad he had become; a memory pushed itself into the front of her mind.

_"Nicolette do you know why Beauty and the Beast is my favorite story to tell? Because she saw behind the monster for the man that he was. Despite his repulsive looks, she fell in love with him. _He _found love with someone normal looking. Never did he think it was possible but she did. My sweet little Colette, remember that it's the heart and soul that truly matters. Not their position, appearance, or money. It's who they truly are."_

"Are-Are..." Her voice cracked. Kayley it's so hard. Was this why the Beauty was scared of the Beast at first? She didn't truly love him until she saw past the monster. Erik is like the Beast. Would that make her the Beauty?

Erik sat there frozen. He didn't know whether to run or cry. It was an accident. He didn't want to run her off yet. He finally knew what it was like to have someone talk too, knowing that they didn't know what was behind the mask. He didn't want to let that go. But he saw in her eyes the fear and disgust. He shut his eyes tightly. Those eyes he saw looked so much like his mothers. His eyes snapped open when she called his name. He looked up at her realizing that it wasn't fear and disgust in her eyes. It was something else.

"Are you a Beast?"

Erik shut his eyes tightly immediately shooting up. In a second, her hands grabbed his and he waited for the hitting to start.

"Can I be your Beauty?

It took him a few moments to understand what she had just said. Was she _serious_? The tight grip on his hand told him otherwise.

"I-I made you sad. Will you be happy if I was your Beauty?"

"W-What?"

"Because even a Beast needs a Beauty."


End file.
